This week, we’re talking headshots! And here’s the thing: lots of people think headshots are just “Here’s my face! Hire me!” but that’s just not how it works. Headshots, like reel clips and resumes, are marketing tools! It’s never just about your face. Here are the kind of questions we’ll answer today:
- What kind of characters should I capture?
- What kind of makeup should I do?
- What should I wear?
- What should my background be?
- Do I need editing?
- Should I use natural or studio lighting?
- Are there any cheats or tips to getting your headshots done?
- Where do I get them done?
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Let’s start with my experience with headshots. I got new headshots not even 6 months ago. That being said, I just got even NEWER headshots just last week. Here are the 6-month-olds:
I was going for realism. I wanted real people. They look pretty real, right?
But you may be asking, Jess, why did you get new headshots? These look fine! For the answer to that question, I’m going to bring up an awesome career coaching session I had with my acting teacher, Amanda Reed. She made me realize that TV realism is not real life realism. I thought I was being profound, but I was just being ignorant.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
TV realism is girls always having makeup on and their hair slightly wavy. Like, tousled wavy. Don’t shoot the messenger, I didn’t make these generalizations. It’s just the way it is! I’m mad at myself for having to bring it up, but that’s what TV realism is. Once I realized that, I knew I needed new headshots.
Secondly, Amanda pulled up Actors Access and showed me what my pictures would look like in the sea of 1 in. by 1 in. headshots, and then, truly, I knew it was time for a redo. They didn’t pop! They didn’t have bright colors or a contrasting background! I was doomed to be lost in an ocean of every actress and their mother!
And lastly she asked me, “What do you get cast as? What’s the common denominator?” To which I answered, “I always play the girl with a secret. She’s hiding something.” And she countered with, “Do your current pictures represent that?” “Nope… I need new headshots.”
So, without much further ado, these are my new and improved headshots:
I’ve still got some rudimentary editing to do, but you see the difference, right? They pop on the screen, they’re contrasting. They catch your eye.
So there’s my story. Now, let’s get to some answers.
What characters should I capture?
What honest age range are you? What do you see that age range play on TV and in movies?
For me, my age range is high school/college, so I’d look to high school archetypes – the mean girl, the popular girl, the misunderstood transfer, the shy girl, the uptight girl, the girl who happens to be the vampire slayer, you get the point. Find the archetypes that pop up often.
Then, find out what you personally get hired for most often. As I said earlier, I get hired as the girl who’s keeping a secret. For this example, you take all those archetypes and give them each a secret. If your thing is that you get hired because you’re the femme fatal, you put a femme fatal twist on all those archetypes. Then, it’s you, not just plain old archetypes. You have to seriously ask yourself: What is my thing?
Putting all this together successfully means that you then have a marketing strategy to get casting directors to know you as the girl with a secret or the femme fatal or whatever your thing is. You market yourself as this one thing and whenever they have a character that is that thing, they think of you. Got all that from a Casting About seminar. (I love seminars.)
What kind of makeup should I do?
TV realism. Watch some TV and you’ll realize that every girl has actual, not subtle, makeup on, and beach waves for hair. Check it out, I’m not fibbing.
Pro cheat: watch the shows you want to be on and copy their hair and makeup. That’s what I did, anyways!
What should I wear?
As often as possible, choose bright colors so that your pictures catch eyes. Keep in mind, if you wear a camisole, no one is going to see whatever color it is, even if it’s a bright color, because all you can see are two little spaghetti straps. You have to think in terms of: when you need to crop it to Actors Access standards, what will you still be able to see? Your neck! Maybe your shoulders! Think of brightening up those areas. And hey, if you have a fluorescent beanie…
What should my background be?
Your background should be contrasting with you and what you’re wearing. For example, if you’re pale, don’t have a pale background. I make the mistake every single time and I keep doing this to myself. White has just never been my background. Someday that’ll stick.
Do I need editing?
Not much, but yes. You do. Look at the difference between these two photos:
Do you see how the one on the left without editing doesn’t pop as much as the right one with editing? For that exact reason, you need to edit your photos. You may think that a dark, moody aesthetic is cute, and it is, just not for casting directors. They literally won’t see your photo. They go through so many photos a day, that they only really “see” the ones that pop.
So yes, you need editing. But just for contrast, so that you really pop on the screen. Leave the FaceTune bone structure editing for Instagram.
Should I use natural or studio lighting?
It depends on what your photographer has, but more often than not, natural lighting will do just fine. For me at least, I like the more even look of natural light better than studio lighting. But if there’s no way for natural lighting, studio lighting can look really great. Especially if you go to a photographer who mainly works in studio lighting and has lots of equipment for that. It’s mainly preference.
Are there any cheats or tips to getting your headshots done?
Yes. Yes there is.
- Bring a helper if you can. Not everyone’s mom wants to come with them to their headshot appointment, but if you can find someone to help you get changed and then put the clothes back on their hangers, it’ll save you loads of time. They can check on you during the shoot to see if your makeup is falling off or if your hair is acting up. Maybe strike up a deal that you’ll do the same for them when they get new headshots!
- Bring your makeup even if you already did it at home. Mistakes happen, eyeliner smudges. You’re going to want to reapply lip gloss or chapstick for every look because of some weird photography law of science where if you don’t, the photo comes out just terrible. Also, if you’re oily like me, pack your powder and reapply, reapply, reapply.
- Bring your hair products. Bobby pins, hairspray, a comb of sorts? I forgot hairspray and then had to edit my frizzy hairs out of my pictures after the fact. Ugh.
- Be really honest with your photographer on what you want. How are they supposed to know what you want otherwise?
- Come in with a game plan. How long will it take you to change from one look to the next? How about makeup? Hair changes? How many looks are you doing? You have to be really clear with yourself on how this all is going to go. Leave nothing to chance, because you usually only have 2 hours max.
- Order your looks based on makeup changes. Order your looks from least made-up look to most made-up look. This is something I always do, and it’ll save you lots of stress and make sure that the pictures don’t all look the same.
Where do I get them done?
Now the fun part! Let’s schedule some headshots, shall we? When I was researching this, I made myself a fun little chart with all the photographers my agent recommended me to. I’ll type that chart up for you guys so that it’s easier for you to choose!
First though, the photographer who took my headshots both times is Troy Blendell. He’s totally awesome and in the LA area. He’s got a bunch of different backdrops, and random fact: he was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer!! How cool is that?? His website is troysphotos.com. I’ll add him on the chart, but he’s my personal recommendation! Tell him I sent you if you choose him!
| Name | Time | Shots | Looks | Edits | Price | Location | Notes |
| Robert Kaz | 2 hrs | 400+ | 3-4 | 2 | $300 | Burbank | |
| Joanna DeGeneres | 320 | 4 | 1 | $650 | |||
| Paloma Portraits | 2 hrs | unlimited | 2 | $300 | Studio City | ||
| DuffImages.com | 5 | 2 | $650 | makeup & styling included | |||
| Heidi Marie | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | 1 | $300 | Los Angeles | |
| Troy’s Photos | 1.5-2 hrs | unlimited | 2 | $275 | Studio City | super awesome | |
| Chris Jon | 2 hrs | unlimited | 10 | $375 | W. Hollywood | very glamorous | |
| Charles Maceo | 2 hrs | unlimited | 1 | $267 | Los Angeles |
By the way, prices are subject to change at any time, and the missing info is just because they had no info on those subjects when I checked initially.
I hope this was helpful!
I know headshots can be stressful and a little confusing, so if this helps in any way, I’m happy. Don’t forget to email subscribe below and be sure to check out our Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! We love visitors. Have a great rest of your week!
